Ulf Mejergren Architects constructs Spruce Bark Hut from beetle-damaged trees in Sweden

Ulf Mejergren Architects (UMA) has built a structure called Spruce Bark Hut in Grödinge, Sweden, using bark collected from forests affected by spruce bark beetle infestations. The hut wraps around a living spruce tree, which serves as its central support. A lightweight timber frame clad with masonite boards provides secondary structure, allowing thin spruce bark to be layered and attached using basic tools like a staple gun and screwdriver. Unlike thicker pine bark, spruce bark behaves like a flexible skin that folds and overlaps to create a permeable envelope. The project transforms material typically seen as waste—bark loosened by destructive insects—into architectural possibility. Inside the tent-like form, a small interior space functions as a simple shelter for observing the forest. The design draws inspiration from two insect behaviors: the bark beetle that weakens trees and produces excess material, and ants that build around a central core. The structure appears partly camouflaged yet distinct within its woodland setting.